Those Who Live By The Sword
by NekoSama
Summary: An IMAN/Highlander crossover. Darien finds out that Arnaud is an immortal and agrees to help Duncan.


Those Who Live by the Sword  
Fanfic by: NekoSama (aka Chris)  
Email: nekosama@ix.netcom.com  
Catagory:Angst  
Rating: PG  
Summary: An IMAN/Highlander crossover. Darien finds out that Arnaud is an immortal and agrees to help Duncan.  
Standard disclaimer: The Invisible Man and all the characters are not mine and are used without permission. Same goes for Highlander characters. I am not getting paid for this.  
  
  
*From the Pilot*  
  
Arnaud stood up after the smoke cleared. He was surprised he was still breathing. His shirt had almost been vaporized by the explosion.  
  
But he was still perfectly intact. Of course, the poor doctor was not so lucky.  
  
Arnaud didn't care why he had survived, but he figured that he should vacate the premises before the authorities arrived.  
  
  
*MUCH LATER*   
  
Darien slumped in the chair in the Official's office. He was getting tired of working for the Agency day in and day out. He looked over at Hobbes who sat there paying diligent attention to the fat man.  
  
He gazed at the tattoo on his wrist. Only three green segments remained. 'Great!' he thought. 'I get another needle in the arm.' Darien got up as Hobbes rose to leave the office.  
  
"Hey, partner," Bobby called to him. "Let's go make the world safe."  
  
"I'll be there in a minute, Hobbes. I need a shot first." Darien replied.  
  
Hobbes nodded and went out to the van to wait.  
  
  
****  
  
The hairs on the back of Darien's neck stood up as he entered the small warehouse. He knew that no one was supposed to be able to see him while he was invisible, but something still unnerved him.  
  
He found the case with the collection of old weapons right where their contact had said it would be.  
  
Before he could quiclsilver the box he was tackled to the ground.  
  
"What the--" he was cut off by a punch to the jaw that caused him to desilver.  
  
He put his hands up in a surrender. "Wait...wait...how did you know I was there?" He shouted as the man patted him down for weapons  
  
"He's clean," the man spoke into a walkie talkie.   
  
"Who are you?" Darien shouted.   
  
"My name is Duncan MacLeod. And I need your help."  
  
Darien stared at him for a moment.   
  
Another man brought Hobbes in at gunpoint.   
  
"Fawkes! Are you all right?"   
  
"Yeah. I still want to know how you were able to see me? And what do you need my help for?"  
  
Duncan sighed. "We're tracking down a very dangerous man. I think you are acquainted with him."  
  
"WHO?" Darien shouted.   
  
"His name is Arnaud DeThiel. As I said mine is Duncan and this is my friend, Adam."  
  
"So what did 'ol Arnie do to you?" Darien sneered brushing himself off.  
  
"And who are you guys? FBI? CIA?" Hobbes asked intrigued by the two men.  
  
"No." Methos spoke up. "I guess we can tell you since we know your friend's secret," he added pointing at Darien. "Duncan is an immortal. So is your friend Arnaud. Problem is he doesn't know what he is and he's been causing an awful lot of trouble."  
  
"Sounds like Arnaud. By the way, he's NO friend of mine. I want him dead," Darien snapped.  
  
"There's a problem with that," Duncan injected. "He can't be killed."  
  
"You're kidding. right?" Darien laughed. "Everyone can be killed."  
  
"Well, only if his head is cut off. That's why we need your help. If you can draw him out into the open I can take care of the rest."  
  
"Why should we trust you?" Hobbes asked.  
  
Duncan rolled his eyes and took his sword. "Watch," he ordered. He drew the blade across his arm slashing deeply.   
  
"What are you doing?" Darien shouted.   
  
"Just wait a moment," Methos told him.  
  
Darien and Bobby were shocked as the wound closed before their eyes. "How did--" Darien backed away his adrenaline level starting to rise. He disappeared from view seconds later.  
  
"Fawkes, calm down, partner," Hobbes called to him.   
  
Darien paused and desilvered after getting his emotions under control.  
  
Darien and Bobby regarded the two men in front of them.   
  
"So, you want us to help you kill Arnaud?" Darien asked.   
  
"I'm not sure I like this whole thing, Fawkes. I know you have personal reasons for wanting Arnaud dead, but--"   
  
"But what, Hobbes? According to them the only way he can die is by having his head cut off. That's probably why he survived that building blowing up around him."  
  
"Why do you need our help to kill him?" Hobbes directed his question to Duncan.  
  
"Well, he's very good at keeping himself out of sight, except when it comes to Mr. Fawkes. His watcher noted that he seems overly careless when it come to you."  
  
"Watcher? What's that?" Darien raised his eyebrow.   
  
"Watchers are a society that observes immortals. I happen to be one myself," Methos showed Darien his tattoo.  
  
"Nice tattoo. Mine's a snake. OK, say I agree to help you take down Arnaud, how do I know you won't just decide to kill us as well?"  
  
"Mr. Fawkes, I'm not evil. I only kill other immortals. Of course, I would ask that you agree to keep my secret. I will keep yours as well," Duncan offered.  
  
"Alright, I will help you. So I take it you have a plan then?" Darien asked.  
  
"Yes, I do. Are you in as well, Mr Hobbes?"  
  
"Bobby Hobbes doesn't bail on his partner."   
  
"That means yes," Darien translated.  
  
****  
  
Darien and Bobby made their way back to the Agency. Duncan let them keep the chest of weapons as payment for their help. He knew that if they brought them back they would get less questions from their superiors.   
  
Course the Official was glad to see the weapons (mostly old swords and guns) since he could sell them to a museum and get more money for the Agency.  
  
Darien groaned as he walked down to the Keep. 'Two shots in one day... this just isn't fair.'  
  
  
****  
  
Darien wasn't very sure he liked being bait, and for Arnaud of all people, but to be able to finally get rid of him would be worth it.  
  
Hobbes sat in the van with Methos. "So, Adam, what's it like being a Watcher?"  
  
"It's a very entertaining job," Methos chuckled. "How about being a government agent?"   
  
"It has it's ups and down, my friend. OK, here we go," he listened intently to wire Darien was wearing.   
  
Darien had gone under the bridge and waited for the contact to arrive.   
  
Duncan sat in the shadows, his sword in hand.   
  
A light blue van drove to the rendezvous point. Two armed men emerged from the back their guns trained on Darien. Arnaud stepped out a moment later.  
  
"Hello, Fawkes. It's nice to see you again," Arnaud greeted him. He winced as an odd headache twinged behind his eyes. "So, I take it we have a deal then? You give me the QS project information and I give you the formula for the counteragent."  
  
Darien just nodded which was the signal for Duncan to attack.  
  
Duncan charged up to the van, his sword raised high.   
  
Arnaud and his men opened fire on Duncan and he fell to the ground.   
  
"Really, Fawkes, a man with a sword? Did you honestly think--" he stopped as Darien quicksilvered and took out his two guards.   
  
Arnaud hissed and put on his thermal sunglasses. He aimed and shot at Darien, but he did not see the result as Duncan came up behind him and severed his head from his body.  
  
Darien stood up the quicksilver having shed from his body after he fell. He caught the tail end of Duncan receiving Arnaud's quickening.  
  
Duncan collapsed afterwards breathing heavily.   
  
Darien went over to him cautiously. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine. How are you?"  
  
Darien stared at Arnaud's body for a moment. He couldn't believe it was finally over. "Well, Kevin, I hope you can rest easily now," he whispered.  
  
"We should probably get out of here," Duncan urged.   
  
"I guess so," Darien agreed. Something was still bothering him. He followed Duncan back to the van.   
  
A puddle of blood appeared on the ground where Darien had fallen minutes before."Darien! You OK, man?" Hobbes shouted getting out of the van.   
  
"Yeah, Bobby, I'm fine," Darien slumped down.  
  
"Let me look at your shoulder there," Hobbes insisted. "I mean, there's a bullet hole, how can you not feel that?"  
  
"What?" Darien looked down at his shirt. There was indeed a bullet hole in the back with dried blood around the hole.   
  
Hobbes lifted his shirt, but there was no wound underneath. "What's going on here?" Hobbes looked up in confusion.   
  
"You're one of us now," Duncan answered.   
  
"Aw crap!"   
  
  
The end... for now...  
  
Feedback is welcome...  



End file.
